Pandemonium

The Concept

Pandemonium is a homebrewed format designed by Jake Dardzinski for Warhammer 40k. Each competitor drafts a custom detachment assembled from rules across all factions of 10th Edition: detachment rules, stratagems, and enhancements that were never designed to work together.

The rules themselves are lightly adapted so they function outside their original faction context. References to faction-specific unit types have been broadened to equivalent battlefield roles, so everything is actually playable.

The Draft

Before any games are played, all eight competitors sit down together for a live card draft. Each player is dealt a random pool of 3 Detachment Rules, 9 Stratagems, and 6 Enhancements. Each category is drafted separately: look at your pack, pick one card to keep, and pass the rest to your neighbor. Repeat until all cards have been claimed.

At the end of the draft, each player holds 3 detachment rules, 9 stratagems, and 6 enhancements, all drawn from completely different detachments and designed with other armies in mind.

Building Your List

After the draft, players take their deck home and get to work. Before the tournament begins, they have four days to create a list and build their final detachment: 1 Detachment Rule, 6 Stratagems, and 3 Enhancements.

The Tournament

Eight players. Single elimination. Quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final match. All streamed on Rain City Wargaming. One player walks away as the Pandemonium Champion of 10th Edition.